368 
decomposition are-precisely similar; the 
inflammable matters in all cases, separa- 
tung at the negative surface in the Voitaic 
circuit, and the oxygen at the positive sur- 
face. The professor denominates the 
metals obtained from the alkaline earths, 
barium, sirentium, calcium, aad mag- 
MEUMg 
~ The professor next tried a number of 
experiments on the other earths, which 
are not alkaline, and from the general 
tenor of these results, and the comparison 
between the diferent series of experi- 
aments, there seems Very great reason to 
conclude that alumine, zircon, glacine, 
and siiex, are, like the alkaliie earths. 
metallic oxides. He admits, however, 
that the evidences of decompositign and 
composition are not of the same strict 
nature as those that belong to the fixed 
alkalies, and alkaline earths; for it is pos- 
sible that im the experiments in which si- 
_ tex, alumine> and zircon appeared to se- 
parate during the oxidation of potassium, 
and soedaum, their bases might not actu- 
ally have been in combination with them, 
bat the earths themselves, in union with 
the metals of the alkalies, or in mere me- 
chanical mixture. 
The strong attraction of potassium, so- 
dau, and the metals of the alkaline 
earths for oxygen, led Mr. Davy to exa- 
mine, if their deoxydating powers eould 
not be made to produce the effect of the 
amalgamatien of ammonia, independently 
of the agency of electricity ; and he found 
that, when mercury, united to a small 
quantity of potassium, scdaum, barium, 
or calcium, was made to act upon moist- 
ened niuriate of ammonia, the amalgam 
rapidly increased to six orseven times its 
volume, and the compound seemed to 
contain much more ammoniacal basis, 
than that procured by electrical powers. 
The amalgam from ammonia, when 
formed at the teinperatare of 70° or 60°, 
is a soft solid, of the. consistence of 
butter; at the freezing temperature it be- 
comes firmer and a crystallized mass, and 
its specific. gravity is below 3. When 
exposed to air, it soon becomes covered 
with a white crust, which proves to be 
carbonate of ammonia. . 
“The more,” says Mr. Davy, “the 
properties of the amaigain obtained from 
ainmonia, are considered, the more ex-. 
traordinary do they appear. Mercury, 
by combination with about the s5t55 
part of its weight of new matter, is ren- 
dered solid, yet it has the specific gravity 
diminished from 13.5 to less than 3, and 
it retains ail its metallic characters; its 
. 1 
Proceedings of Learned Societies. 
[May r 
colour, lustre, opacity, and conducting 
powers, ~remaining unimpaired. It is 
scarcely possible to conceive, that a sub- 
stance which forms with mercury so per- 
fect an amaloam should not be metallic in 
its own nature, hence it may be denomi« 
nated ammonium.” 
From the preceding facts, the follow- 
ing questions have occurred: on what do 
the metallic preperties of ammonium de- 
pend? Are hydregen and nitrogen 
both metals in the aeriform staie, at the 
usual temperature of theatmosphere, bo- 
dies of the same character as zinc and 
guicksilver would be in the heat of igni- 
tion? Or are these gases in their common 
form, oxides, which become metallized by 
deoxydation? Orave they simple bodies, 
not metallic in their own nature, but ca~. 
pable of composing a metal in - their de- 
oxygenated, and an alkaliin their oxygen 
ated, state? 
Assuming the existence of hydrogen, in 
the amalgam of ammonium, its presence 
in one metallic. compound evidently 
leads to the suspicion of its combination _ 
in others. And in the electrical powers 
of the different spectes of matter, there. 
are circumstances which extend the idea 
to combustible substanees in general. 
Oxygen is the only body which can be 
supposed elementary, attracted by the 
positive surface in the electrical eircuit 3 
and all compound bodies, the nature of 
which is known that are attracted by this 
surface, contain a considerable propor- 
tion of oxygen. Hydrogen is the only 
matter. attracted by the negative surface, 
which can be considered as acting the op- 
posite part to oxygen; ‘‘ may not then,” 
says the professor, “ the diiterent inflam- 
_mable bodies, supposed to be simple, cons 
tain this as a common element ” | 
Should future experiments prove the 
- truth of this hypothesis, still the.alkalies, 
the earths, and thé metallic oxides, will 
belong to thesame class ofbodies. From 
.platina, to potassium, there is.a regular 
order of gradation as te their physical and 
chenaical properties, and this would pro- 
bably extend to ammonium, could it be 
obtained in the fixed form. Platina and 
yold, in specific gravity, degree of oxyda- 
bility, and other qualities, differ more . 
from arsenic, iron, and. un, than these 
last do from barium and strontium. The 
phenomena of combustion of al] oxidable 
metals, are precisely analogous. In the 
same manner as arsenic formsan acid, by 
burning in air, potassium forms an alkal1, 
and calcium an earth ; in a manner simi- 
lar co that in which osmium forms a vola- 
z . the, 
